CORNER BROOK, Nfld. — As eager as Andrew Ladd is to get back to playing hockey, he came to the realization that a stint in the Kontinental Hockey League might not be the best idea right now.

Internet reports spread quickly on Thursday morning that the Winnipeg Jets captain had agreed to a deal to play for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, but by that point, Ladd had already decided to remain in Winnipeg instead.

“That was unfortunate the news kind of got out,” Ladd said in a telephone interview on Thursday. “The main problem was not knowing how long I would end up being over there.”

The reason for the change of heart was deeply personal, as Ladd’s wife Brandy is pregnant with the couple’s first child.

“I didn’t want to end up leaving her to fend for herself,” said Ladd. “I was excited about the opportunity to play, but when I had a chance to really think about the ramifications of what would happen when I went, it was better just to stay here.”

Ultimately, being a supportive husband was the path Ladd needed to take.

“Yeah, there are appointments and ultrasounds, stuff like that,” siad Ladd. “At first, I maybe thought that I could get away with missing it. But I want to be there for that and to be part of those moments.”

In speaking with the local media as far back as several weeks ago, Ladd brought up the possibility of playing in Europe.

And after doing an abundance of research and consulting several players — including Jets teammate Alex Burmistrov — about what life might be like in the KHL, Ladd thought he had found a great fit in Avangard Omsk.

“The hockey aspect of it was very appealing and I had heard good things about the organization,” said Ladd. “(Burmistrov) told me the city was very similar to Winnipeg. It looked like a good spot to play. That’s the reason why I said yes initially.”

With playing in Europe no longer an option, Ladd plans to do what he can to stay sharp in Winnipeg.

There was some news on the lockout front on Thursday as the NHL canceled a two week block of games between Oct. 11 and 24th, which affects a total of five Jets games so far.

“They want us to give in to what they want and to miss games was to be expected, but it’s frustrating at the same time,” said Ladd. “This is an opportunity to stay healthy, get stronger and work on different parts of our game. We just have to use it to our advantage.”

Although Ladd admits the dwindling number of players skating together in Winnipeg has made things a bit challenging of late, there have been some discussions about organizing a charity — much like former Manitoba Moose defenceman Kevin Bieksa has done in Vancouver.

“We’ll see, there have been a few ideas thrown around,” said Ladd. “We’ve talked about a few things and we’re thinking about that. There has also been some talk in Chicago about doing something there. Now we’re missing games and we have to stay sharp.

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